Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

W. I. MORROW. WIRE SvTRBTGHER.

Patented Dec. 1, 1896.

.MIIIHIIIIIII` llfililllml |||||||||yul lullin HIM im l UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I. MoRRow, or PINE GRovE, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No'. 572,349, datedDecember 1, 1896.

Application tied May 2s, 1895. semina. 551,015. (Npmod'eti To @ZZ whom tmay concern:

Be it known that I; WILLIAM I. MoRnow,

, a citizen of the United States, Iesiding at Pine Grove, in the countyof Henderson and State of Texas, have invented a new and usefulWire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates Vto improvements in wire-stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of'wire-stretchers,

and to provide a simple and inexpensive one which will be strong anddurable and which will enable fence-wires to be readily stretched forsecuring them to fence-posts and for connecting the ends of a brokenwire.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and eicient meansfor twisting ,view of a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance withthis invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the slidingframe, the section being taken longitudinally of the wire-stretcher.Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged detail sectional views illustrating theconstruction of the twisting device.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a ratchet or rack bar provided on its upper face withteeth, and having sliding on it a frame 2, provided withantifriction-rollers and carrying a cog-wheel 3 for meshing with theteeth of the rack-bar. The sliding frame 2 is constructed of a singlepiece of metal, and consists of parallel sides and a bottom piecearranged beneath the rack-bar.

The pinion, which meshes with the teeth of the rack-bar, is locatedbeneath the parallel sides of the frame 2, and is mounted on a shaft 4,which is extended and bent to form a crank-handle 5, whereby thewire-stretcher is operated.

The rack-bar is. provided at one endwith chains 6 to enableit'to bereadily secured to a post or to be connected with one of the ends of abroken wire when desired. The sliding frame is provided with a link orbail 7, to which is connected a clamp 8, adapted to be secured to orconnected with a fence-wire, and as the sliding frame is advanced alongthe rack-bar by the rotation of the gearwheel it is automatically lockedagainst retrograde or backward movement by a pivoted pawl 9.

The pawl 2 is arranged between the parallel sides of the frame 2 and ispivoted at 10 at one end, and its other end is extended beyond the frame2 and depends from the top thereof at an inclination and is arranged toengage the teeth of the rack-bar. This pawl is provided with aprojecting handle 1l, and it has intermediate of its ends a blade l2,ar-

ranged to coperate with a -notch 13 of one side of the frame 2 toseverawire. The notch 13 forms a shoulder or stop for the wire to besevered, and by forcing the pivoted pawl downward the blade is carriedinto contact with the wire and is adapted to sever the same.

The rack-bar is provided at one end with a clamp 14, having avpivotedmember 15, and adapted to engage a fence-wire similar to the clamp S ofthe frame 2 when it is desired to connect the two portions of a brokenwire. The clamp 14 is adapted toV cooperate with the clamp 16 of one ofthe chains 6 when it is adapted in the process of stretching to obtain afresh hold on the wire without losing any of the acquired tension. Afterthe ends of a wire have been drawn together they may be readilyconnected by a twisting device consisting of a vertically-disposed shaft17, mounted in a cylindrical sleeve or bearing 18 of the frame 2 andprovided at its upper end with a hook 19 for engaging the ends of thewire. The sleeve or bearing 18 is formed integral with the frame 2 andis provided at its top with an annular recess or enlargement of its boreor opening to enable the wire to be drawn into it, as illustrated inthedrawings, v

to facilitate twisting. A crank-handle 20 is detachably secured to thelower end of the shaft or spindle 17, and is adapted, when not in use,to be held by a key 21, which is substantially T-shaped, being composedof a stem IOO and a head located at the lower end of the stem andadapted to be passed through a slot 22 of the crank-handle and to beturned transversely thereof to prevent the handle fromaccidentallyswnging under the rack-bar and getting in the path of thehandle 5 and interfering with the operation of the wire-stretcher. Thestem of the key 21 is disposed vertically on the casing or frame 2, andis arranged in a perforation of a lug 23, and is adapted to be raisedand lowered, as desired.

The wire-stretcher may also be employed for enabling two wires underhigh tension to be readily disconnected Without injuring either of themby drawing the wires together and loosening them atv their connectedends and enabling the operator to readily untwist or otherwise separatethem.

It will be seen that the wire-stretcher is exceedingly simple andinexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily operatedfor stretching a Wire in fence construction or for connecting theterminals of a broken wire, and that it will enable a wire to be readilysevered when desired.

It will also be apparent that the terminals of a broken wire may bereadily twisted t0- gether, and thereby connected, and that the twistingdevice is exceedingly simple and may be readily arranged to prevent itfrom interfering with the operation of the main crank.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention, such as constructing the frame2 of one or more pieces and the like.

IVh-at I claim isl. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a slidingframe provided with parallel sides and having at one of its sides awire-receiving notch, a rack-bar arranged within the frame between thesides thereof and provided at its upper edge with teeth, gearing mountedon the sliding frame and meshing with the rackbar, a pawl arrangedbetween the sides of the frame, pivoted at one end to the same andhaving its other end engaging the rack-bar, said pawl being provided ata point intermediate of its ends with a cutting edge coperating with thewire-receiving notch, and a handle ll, projecting horizontally from thepawl at a point intermediate thereof and located at the top of thecasing substantially as described.

2. The combination of a wire-stretcher provided with a sleeve orbearing, a shaft arranged in the sleeve or bearing capable of a limitedlongitudinal movement therein and provided with a hook for engaging thetwo portions of a Wire to be connected, a crankhandle for rotating theshaft to twist the wire, and a locking device for preventing the shaftfrom rotating, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a rack-bar, a sliding framemounted thereon and provided with a sleeve or bearing, a gearwheelmounted on the frame and meshing with the rack-bar, a crank-handle 5connected with the gear-wheel, a shaft arranged in the sleeve or bearingand provided with a hook for engaging the two portions of a wire to beconnected, the crank-handle 2O arranged on the shaft and provided with aslot, and the substantially T-shaped key loosely connected with theframe and arranged to engage the slot of the crank-handle 20,substantially as described. p

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM I. MORROVV.

Vitnesses S. H. ADAMS, J. R. WILLIAMsoN.

